The Mayo Memorial Restoration Project

After Mayo’s death in 1895, Corsham Parish Council agreed that a memorial should be built in recognition of all his many and varied contributions to the town.

The publicly-funded memorial was designed by local architect Harold Brakspear, who also oversaw its construction in 1896. The builder was Mr Osborne, a well-known local stonemason, and the total cost was £115 10s. The memorial was erected across the road from the Corsham Town Hall at the end of the High Street, where it stands to this day. Corsham’s Mayo Close was also named in his honour.

The Memorial had deteriorated quite badly by 2006 when Corsham Town Council and Corsham Civic Society began to consider how to restore it and raise the community’s awareness of the important role played by Mayo in the town’s development.

The restoration project

Corsham Civic Society secured nearly £25,000 of funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Corsham Town Council to restore the Memorial and raise community awareness of Mayo’s contribution to Corsham’s heritage.

Local engineers CMS (Bath) were commissioned to supervise the structural restoration and the work was carried out by local stonemason Rob Fleming. As part of the community awareness project, local school children were encouraged to learn more about Mayo and his life. Corsham Civic Society also hosted a series of exhibitions and presentations for local people.

Corsham Civic Society won the conservation award in the PMSA’s 2008 Marsh Awards for its work on the Mayo Memorial Restoration Project.

Video record

A video record of the Mayo Memorial restoration project can be viewed opposite.

Download a copy of Corsham Spotlight about Charles Mayo and the restoration project here: